Posted:
Link
www.televisionpost.com/tvp-special/zee-tv-recreates-the-opulence-of-1940s-for-ek-tha-raja-ek-thi-rani/
WU -
MUMBAI: We have all heard the story of kings and queens in our childhood, and often wanted to live that fairytale dream. Known for its traditional stories, Zee TV attempted to bring alive that dream when it decided to make a period drama set in the pre-Independence era of the 1940s when royalty and the struggle for sovereignty existed side by side.
However, it took a lot of time and much more out of Zee TV once Nilanjana Purkayastha explained the concept. The broadcaster then roped in Sphere Origins to handle the production for Ek Tha Raja, Ek Thi Rani'.
Sphere Origins' Comall Wadhwa says, "When Zee approached us, we definitely jumped up. We made a pilot episode of the show in the Baroda Palace. So we thought of shooting the show there, but destiny brought us back to Rajasthan, which provided the setting for most of our earlier shows."
The show has an ensemble cast that includes Dhrashti Dhami, who makes a comeback on television as the female lead Gayatri. Siddhant Karnick will play the male lead, Ranaji Indravadan Singh Deo, the intense and brooding prince of the royal family of Amerkot.
Joining the duo is Bollywood actor Anita Raj. Television's favourite Dadi Sa, veteran actor Surekha Sikri and Darshan Zariwala will also play pivotal roles. The show also stars Moon Bannerjee and Akshay Anand.
"It took the team a year of research to get the look and feel right to lend authenticity to the concept," Wadhwa adds.
For the female characters, the team had to make sure the hairstyles, accessories, jewellery, the eyeliner and lipstick colours conformed to the spirit of that era.
"We had to take special care that the ladies do not have a French manicure as the nails in earlier times were filed in a particular manner and the royalty would apply dark nail colour," Wadhwa explains with a smile.
Initially, while the set was being constructed, the production house shot the first 15-20 episodes in various locales across Rajasthan. The team also shot quite a few episodes in the Laxmi Niwas Palace in Bikaner.
Wadhwa informs that it took six months just to design the set. The set needed to resemble a palace and was inspired by the Laxmi Vilas Palace in Baroda.
Chandravadan More, the National Award-winning art director of Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story', was roped in to help them with the designing.
A lavish set stands ready at Naigaon, on the outskirts of Mumbai. The set occupies a staggering 30,000 sq feet of area with interior space of 19,000 sq ft and exterior area of 10,000 sq ft comprising fountains, statues, a garden and the main faade. It took 300 workers to build the set.
Sunjoy Wadhwa states, "I always wanted to do a show set in the 1940s but somehow the opportunity never came. Now when I got the chance, I was excited, and the way the story came out and characterisation happened, it all fell in place. To date, it is one of the most expensive sets we have erected at Sphere Origins."
Every small detail was taken care of, including costumes as the female lead wears cotton saris of that era. Antique cars and horse carriages were used to remind the audience of the 1940s. Other such elements include Belgian chandeliers, uniforms, the zamindar's house and more.
The constructed palace is currently the only waterproof set for a TV show. Carpets weighing over 2.5 tonnes, chandeliers, antiques, vintage cars have been sourced, and carved wooden furniture is being crafted to replicate the designs prevalent during those times. Jewellery and clothing befitting royalty have been sourced from traditional artisans of UP, Delhi and Rajasthan. The cast members are being trained in horse riding, polo and the finer nuances of diction, body language and mannerisms of the people from that era.
The interior of the set takes its inspiration from classic French dcor. The team travelled to different parts of the country to source carpets, chandeliers, fabrics, furnishings and more to recreate the royal look.
Wadhwa says, "Since we were creating a different era, each and every detail needed to be looked into. We found some books that helped us recreate the look of that era. Sunjoy and I visited a number of palaces to check out their interiors. We also met royalty. Some of the palaces in India were designed by architects from abroad, hence the French influence."
A lavish set such as this has its own set of challenges and the team encountered some when they needed to put it up in a short span of time. The designs were all ready, but scouting for an appropriate location to put up such a huge lavish set took a lot of time.
The shooting is currently in progress in Mumbai and it is a bit hectic. "Even when we need to shift and shoot in another area of the set, it takes time to light it up and shift the props."
Interestingly, the show has two directors. Bhushan Patel shot on location in Rajasthan. Now in Mumbai, the direction has been taken over by and Santram Varma. Besides, a team of 4-5 writers are constantly working on the script.
"It is a one-and-a-half-year story on paper and further course will be decided based on audience response. It is more than just a love story set in the Independence-era India; we will also dramatise the Quit India movement and other important events of the era in the course of the show," reveals Sunjoy Wadhwa.
www.televisionpost.com/tvp-special/zee-tv-recreates-the-opulence-of-1940s-for-ek-tha-raja-ek-thi-rani/
WU -
MUMBAI: We have all heard the story of kings and queens in our childhood, and often wanted to live that fairytale dream. Known for its traditional stories, Zee TV attempted to bring alive that dream when it decided to make a period drama set in the pre-Independence era of the 1940s when royalty and the struggle for sovereignty existed side by side.
However, it took a lot of time and much more out of Zee TV once Nilanjana Purkayastha explained the concept. The broadcaster then roped in Sphere Origins to handle the production for Ek Tha Raja, Ek Thi Rani'.
Sphere Origins' Comall Wadhwa says, "When Zee approached us, we definitely jumped up. We made a pilot episode of the show in the Baroda Palace. So we thought of shooting the show there, but destiny brought us back to Rajasthan, which provided the setting for most of our earlier shows."
The show has an ensemble cast that includes Dhrashti Dhami, who makes a comeback on television as the female lead Gayatri. Siddhant Karnick will play the male lead, Ranaji Indravadan Singh Deo, the intense and brooding prince of the royal family of Amerkot.
Joining the duo is Bollywood actor Anita Raj. Television's favourite Dadi Sa, veteran actor Surekha Sikri and Darshan Zariwala will also play pivotal roles. The show also stars Moon Bannerjee and Akshay Anand.
"It took the team a year of research to get the look and feel right to lend authenticity to the concept," Wadhwa adds.
For the female characters, the team had to make sure the hairstyles, accessories, jewellery, the eyeliner and lipstick colours conformed to the spirit of that era.
"We had to take special care that the ladies do not have a French manicure as the nails in earlier times were filed in a particular manner and the royalty would apply dark nail colour," Wadhwa explains with a smile.
Initially, while the set was being constructed, the production house shot the first 15-20 episodes in various locales across Rajasthan. The team also shot quite a few episodes in the Laxmi Niwas Palace in Bikaner.
Wadhwa informs that it took six months just to design the set. The set needed to resemble a palace and was inspired by the Laxmi Vilas Palace in Baroda.
Chandravadan More, the National Award-winning art director of Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story', was roped in to help them with the designing.
A lavish set stands ready at Naigaon, on the outskirts of Mumbai. The set occupies a staggering 30,000 sq feet of area with interior space of 19,000 sq ft and exterior area of 10,000 sq ft comprising fountains, statues, a garden and the main faade. It took 300 workers to build the set.
Sunjoy Wadhwa states, "I always wanted to do a show set in the 1940s but somehow the opportunity never came. Now when I got the chance, I was excited, and the way the story came out and characterisation happened, it all fell in place. To date, it is one of the most expensive sets we have erected at Sphere Origins."
Every small detail was taken care of, including costumes as the female lead wears cotton saris of that era. Antique cars and horse carriages were used to remind the audience of the 1940s. Other such elements include Belgian chandeliers, uniforms, the zamindar's house and more.
The constructed palace is currently the only waterproof set for a TV show. Carpets weighing over 2.5 tonnes, chandeliers, antiques, vintage cars have been sourced, and carved wooden furniture is being crafted to replicate the designs prevalent during those times. Jewellery and clothing befitting royalty have been sourced from traditional artisans of UP, Delhi and Rajasthan. The cast members are being trained in horse riding, polo and the finer nuances of diction, body language and mannerisms of the people from that era.
The interior of the set takes its inspiration from classic French dcor. The team travelled to different parts of the country to source carpets, chandeliers, fabrics, furnishings and more to recreate the royal look.
Wadhwa says, "Since we were creating a different era, each and every detail needed to be looked into. We found some books that helped us recreate the look of that era. Sunjoy and I visited a number of palaces to check out their interiors. We also met royalty. Some of the palaces in India were designed by architects from abroad, hence the French influence."
A lavish set such as this has its own set of challenges and the team encountered some when they needed to put it up in a short span of time. The designs were all ready, but scouting for an appropriate location to put up such a huge lavish set took a lot of time.
The shooting is currently in progress in Mumbai and it is a bit hectic. "Even when we need to shift and shoot in another area of the set, it takes time to light it up and shift the props."
Interestingly, the show has two directors. Bhushan Patel shot on location in Rajasthan. Now in Mumbai, the direction has been taken over by and Santram Varma. Besides, a team of 4-5 writers are constantly working on the script.
"It is a one-and-a-half-year story on paper and further course will be decided based on audience response. It is more than just a love story set in the Independence-era India; we will also dramatise the Quit India movement and other important events of the era in the course of the show," reveals Sunjoy Wadhwa.
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
Bigg Boss 19
Real Estate
